Ryanair is threatening to withdraw entirely from the Azores in March 2026, warning that rising airport fees, new taxes, and escalating operating costs in Portugal have made its routes financially unviable.
The carrier says charges imposed by ANA – Portugal’s Vinci-owned airport operator – have increased by up to 35 percent since 2020, while additional travel taxes and higher air traffic control fees have added further pressure.
If Ryanair follows through, six routes and roughly 400,000 annual seats would disappear, ending year-round connections between the islands and major cities like London, Brussels, Lisbon, and Porto. The airline also cited EU environmental levies such as the Emissions Trading System as adding disproportionate costs to short-haul European flights.
The threat comes as part of a wider network contraction across Europe. Ryanair has already announced winter cuts in Spain, Germany, and France as it reallocates aircraft to lower-cost markets for 2026. For travelers, a full withdrawal from the Azores could mean fewer low-fare options and higher prices, although carriers such as TAP, Iberia, Lufthansa, TUI and Transavia may absorb some of the demand.
For now, the move remains a possibility rather than a done deal, with time for negotiations before March 2026. But if no compromise is reached, holidaymakers may find the Azores – one of Europe’s fastest-growing nature destinations – harder and more expensive to reach next year.
